You Don't Own Me
by aquahorse5
Summary: Today is the day of the reaping for the 71st Hunger Games. The day that my life changed. The day I made my mark on the Capitol. The day they could no longer control me.
1. Uncoverings

I woke up with a sudden jolt. I could hear a quiet conversation leaking up through the floorboards of my room. "I have a feeling that she will be reaped today. I don't know I can just sense it." Now this was unusual, my parents usually didn't discuss things in private without me. We were all forced to become an open book with my being so involved with the Capitol. My dad was one of the most trusted peacekeepers in the District, while my mom was a teacher of the history of the Capitol. I never really made any friends because of this. I'm constantly under surveillance and one slip up, whether it was caused by me or an associate would have a possible investigation looked into, or worse, the loss of one of my parent's jobs. But who was I to care. I usually was left to fend for myself anyway. The only time my parents ever cared for me was if my actions would come back and affect me.

"Karen….I've been having these feelings too. She's just...she's been pushing her luck. They're going to want to dispose of her in the most unlikely manner."

"They can't do this."

"They're perfectly capable." I began to sneak my way downstairs. This couldn't be happening. It's bad enough that I've been living in this prison of a District for 17 years of my life. Now I was going to get killed for living a life of hell. Well, fuck that. Fuck the Capitol. Fuck everyone. If I had to take an act of defiance to get looked upon with more respect and get out of this hellhole, even if it meant that I had to risk everything that I still had left, so be it.

"JOHANNA MASON, GET IN HERE! YOUR MOTHER AND I NEED TO TALK TO YOU! I could see the look on my dad's face that a witty comeback would only make the situation worse. My father usually kept his feelings to himself and never showed any signs of having a temper. Well, except for the games the Capitol played on everyone. And I don't mean the Hunger Games; I mean the tricks and loopholes the Capitol put in their acts of domination. They always hid their trail with another until you came to President Snow. Everyone in the Districts despised Snow; he was the main sponsor of the Hunger Games after all. However, he was looked upon with such adoration in the Capitol that it made me sick. How could someone hide death so easily from everyone?

Now don't get me wrong, my family, like every other, in the end respected the Capitol. My father didn't get such a rewarding job by constantly resisiting a fact that can't easily be changed. After all, "every revolution begins with a spark." But with all the potential that I had received from the respect and responsibility by parents received, I spent it all by ruining my reputation and resulting in the hell that is my life. I always understood the greater good of all the districts and I've always been willing to give up my life for freedom. But, as my dad always backed me up, my mom was always disapproving. "Why do you always waste your potential? There is so much more that you can do with your life."

"I understand where you're coming from dad but I just feel that I need to make my life my own the most I can." I just can't take it anymore. Every year we all gathered in the town square, one girl and boy was reaped, they went through training, participated in interviews, supposedly wowed the Capitol in a tribute parade, and then presumably both of them die; that is if one of them is of the 4% that survives. It just was the schedule the Capitol imposes on all the Districts. I need to make a mark, show them that they don't owe me; I know that the rebellion will come. Whether or not I'll live to see it, lead it, participate in it, or suffer from it, it will come. But does an uprising really save us? Will it not just start something worse than the Hunger Games. That is how it got started in the beginning…

"We understand your side of things, but the Capitol has been watching. They know how you feel."

"Doesn't everybody?"

"But they know they can't control you, they know they can't keep you from causing trouble. They've been threatening to compromise the reaping results. It's in their power. But we can't have them use it in an unfair manner. Think about how everyone in the District will feel if they realize how easily the Capitol can compromise the results." I know my mom means well, but I just don't know how much longer I will be able to hold in my frustrations. She always wants to be right and have the final word in. My father and I sometimes went in to private in order to discuss the trouble I've caused the family. But I don't care, if I'm reaped, I WILL MAKE MY MARK! I don't give a shit towards how my parents are making a big deal out of nothing. If I get reaped I'll be the one suffering. But I could just be trying to convince myself. I couldn't, could I?

"The reaping is in an hour. We need to get ready. I don't care if my fate has been compromised, corrupted, ruined, whatever etc. I can deal with it! Just stop messing with my life. You won't be the ones suffering in the end anyways. This is a small part of the crap that the Capitol deals with on a daily basis. This is nothing of a problem for them."

"I know that you think you can handle this and that my job makes us more vulnerable, but the fact that we have strong feelings towards the Capitol makes use even more exposed."

"Doesn't everybody though?"

"No, I mean someone with a high position of authority."

"A peacekeeper just has to settle conflict, it's not like they make you brainwashed Capitol robots. Your subject to your own opinions, all the Capitol cares about is whether or not you get the job done and deal with their hell load of problems."

"You don't understand anything that we have to deal with!"

"Yes I most fucking do!"

"If people knew that even peacekeepers were not fully in awe of the Capitol system, uprisings could start to happen."

"Just deal with it without blaming everything on me! I have my own life too you know….." I passed the 30 minutes until our departure to the town's centre for the reaping by planning out my possible Game-winning strategies. What fronts I could put up? What I could use as a weapon? How much I should fear the Capitol? There was so much I could do. After all, I am a master manipulator. Luckily, the 30 minutes passed by quickly enough that I didn't have to think back to the conversation that I had with my parents. There was just so much that I could do. So much that I began to become **excited** for the reaping, so much that I **skipped **out my front door, surpassing my parents and then pushed my way to the front of the line in order to be signed in. Even though I gained a lot of weird looks from the townsfolk, I could care less. I mean everyone knows me for being witty, uneasily controlled, and sometimes a defyer of the Capitol, but I could care less anymore. I've always been looked at weirdly by townsfolk and you learn not to care and let it get to you. If I defy the Capitol, no one will think the same of me again. You learn to build yourself back up, make yourself better, start over, it's all part of life, and this is just the beginning.


	2. Weakened

Usually during the year our town square was used as a meeting area, an occasional marketplace, and the rare public beating. However, the week prior to our reaping, crews of peacekeepers and workers came in decking out the square. Builders added two jumbo screens at the front of the mayor's building. A stage was assembled outside the front door of the mayor's building, in which our District representatives and our escort stood. However, these days feel like the worst. The new sets of peacekeepers were intended to stop any vandalism, but naturally it was resulting in the displeasure of the Districts. There were two glass bowls placed on the stage, one for the boys, and one for the girls. There were roped barriers before the stage where all the town children were in sections according to gender and age, with parents and elders surrounding the area. As usual, we were in for a show given to us by our District escort.

"Welcome everyone to the District 7 reaping for the 70th annual Hunger Games. Today we will be picking one courageous young man and woman for the honour of representing District 7 in the Hunger Games. Now as always, ladies first." Our District escort's name was Marianne. She had been escorting our tributes for the past 20 years. This was however blatantly obvious due to the immense amounts of plastic surgery she went under in order to younger. Besides the fake, wrinkly skin covering her face, she was equipped with a pink wig styled like something you see back in 1800s France. It was styled so high that it skimmed the doorway of the mayor's building as she walked up to the stage. She was adorned in a vintage yellow dress that flowed to her knees, complementing her 1800s hairstyle apparel. But regardless of her freakish appearance, I liked her. I don't know why, maybe because of the fact that she was confident in herself despite being ornately dressed in a District where none of these fashion rules applied. She always tried to be respectful and make us feel like a family. I never felt like an outsider with her around. We were both different compared to the other District members and I felt like I could connect with her.

"Bridget Amelia." Shit. I was so distracted that today that I didn't even realize that the reaping had started. It wasn't even my name that they called. With all the debate from my parents, I'm starting to want to participate. Maybe it would benefit me. If I didn't volunteer, there was no longer the possibility of dying by my own terms. But regardless of all the cons in this plan, nothing can stop me now. Not now not ever.

"I volunteer." As I stepped forward and walked to the stage, I couldn't ignore the looks from everyone gathered in the square. Worst of all, my parents looked at me with disgust. My dad's face will always haunt me. It was always him and I. We were the ultimate father/daughter duo. I was close with my mother, but my father always had believed in me, connected with me, and understood me. I just know that that look makes me want to take this day back.

"What is your name darling?"

"Don't call me darling!"

"Ooh! Feisty one now aren't you. Tell me. What is your name?"

"Johanna Mason."

"And how old might you be?"

"17."

"Let's give it for Johanna Mason, the volunteer tribute from District 7. Now onto the boys." This name would reveal the first known tribute that I would eventually have to kill.

"Bullshit."

"What did you say?"

"Bullshit. This is all bullshit."

"Why would you say that? THAT IS NOT LADYLIKE YOUNG LADY!"

"What if I don't want to be one?"

"Then...then...th...let's just move onto the boys. Samuel Carmichael." I don't know if my brain was just playing tricks on me, but he seemed to come towards me in slow motion. He was one of the most handsome boys I had ever seen. Short brown hair that was partly in a side sweep, about my height, lean with golden-like skin, and complimented with blue eyes. But what am I thinking. He will just betray me. Stab me in the back.

* * *

"Now you two, shake hands." As we stepped closer together, he seemed even more handsome and charming, the warmth of his hand in mine sent shivers down my spine. "Ladies and Gentlemen, your District 7 tributes for the 70th Hunger Games." The peacekeepers then took us into the town hall. I anxiously awaited m parents visit; wondering what they'd say to me.

The room the peacekeepers placed me in was a small room with white floral wallpaper (something an old lady might use to decorate her house). The floors were made up of the finest hardwood in the District; naturally, we were the lumber District after all. "JOHANNA MASON, WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY FOR YOURSELF?" My parents had both just entered the room and based on the look that I received from my dad as he screamed at me; I knew that I couldn't hide anything from them.

"I know that you're mad..."

"Darn right I'm mad at you."

"It's just I can't be the Capitol's toy anymore. Living under their rules and influences. Being constantly watched and having a potential to live up to. If I die, I don't want it to be of their actions. And I know what you're thinking. How is participating in the **Capitol's **games dying on my own terms. However, it is the closest thing I could do in order to save or end my life through my actions without the Capitol defying our family."

"Your mother and I understand, but after all the conflict you've caused us, you will do as we say. You have caused our family shame. I'm on the brink of losing my job! You have ca-"

"You haven't technically lost your job yet."

"I DON'T NEED YOUR SMART ASS COMMENTS WHEN WE'RE DISCUSSING A SERIOUS ISSUE! Listen to me," my father was talking in a hoarse whisper as if it was painful for him to go through this conversation with me, "you will pretend to be a weakling. You will make them underestimate you. No one knows this and you probably are surprised at the fact that I do, but I know you are skilled with an axe."

"How do you know that?"

"That is certainly not important right now young lad-"

"DON'T CALL ME THAT!"

"I will call you what I want. You will not defy me. You will execute this plan and come back home alive, but don't think that anything will go back to normal. You will march right over to the victors' village and live on without us. You will not converse with us. We can go on certainly fine without you. Your mother and I have held in all our anger towards what your actions have caused us and this is the last straw."

"But dad I'-"

"BUT NOTHING! GET ON WITH YOUR LIFE. YOU CERTAINLY DON'T CARE FOR OUR OPINIONS AND WE CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO HOLD _YOU _BACK. GO!"


End file.
